Window blind assembly

ABSTRACT

A window blind assembly includes top and bottom fixing seats adapted to be fixed to a support and having a first engaging portion, a headrail, a bottom rail, and a blind unit. Each of the headrail and bottom rail includes a pair of first and second clamp plates having opposite inner faces, and protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on the inner faces. One of the first and second clamp plates further has a first retaining portion to engage the first engaging portion. The blind unit has top and bottom end portions. Each of the top and bottom end portions is clamped detachably between the inner faces and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of one of the headrail and the bottom rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a window blind, more particularly to a window blind assembly that can be easily assembled and disassembled.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional window blind assembly includes a headrail 1, a blind unit 2, and a control unit 3. The headrail 1 includes a first chamber 101, a second chamber 102, and two spaced-apart through holes 103 provided in a top wall-of the headrail 1. The blind unit 2 is inserted slidably and longitudinally into the first chamber 101. The control unit 3 is installed in the second chamber 102, and includes two drums 301, a cord 302 extending between the drums 301 and associated with the blind unit 2 in a conventional manner, and two ring members 303 provided respectively on the drums 301 and extending respectively through the through holes 103. The ring members 303 are used to hang the conventional window blind assembly.

Although the aforementioned conventional window blind assembly can achieve its intended purpose, the user must disassemble the entire assembly, i.e., the headrail 1, the blind unit 2, and the control unit 3, in order to remove the blind unit 2 slidably from the first chamber 101 for cleaning or replacement. Hence, cleaning and replacement of the blind unit 2 is very inconvenient. Further, since the drums 301 of the control unit 3 are provided as independent elements and are almost entirely encapsulated by the headrail 1 after being inserted into the second chamber 102, insertion of the ring members 303 through the respective through holes 303 is difficult during assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a window blind assembly that can be easily assembled and disassembled and that has specific components fixed in form so as to largely minimize production costs and so as to reduce troublesome assembly operations.

According to this invention, a window blind assembly comprises top and bottom fixing seats adapted to be fixed to a support, a headrail, a bottom rail, and a blind unit. Each of the top and bottom fixing seats has a base plate, and a first engaging portion projecting outwardly from the base plate. Each of the headrail and bottom rail includes a pair of first and second clamp plates. The first and second clamp plates have opposite inner faces, and protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on the inner faces. One of the first and second clamp plates further has a first retaining portion to engage the first engaging portion. The blind unit is made of a flexible material, and has a top end portion, a bottom end portion, and an intermediate portion between the top and bottom end portions. Each of the top and bottom end portions is clamped detachably between the inner faces and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of one of the headrail and the bottom rail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a conventional window blind assembly;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a window blind assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment in an unfolded state;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the preferred embodiment in a folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a window blind assembly according to the present invention is shown to include two top fixing seats 10, two bottom fixing seats 30, a headrail 20, a bottom rail 40, and a blind unit 50.

Each of the top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30 has a base plate 11, 31 adapted to be fixed to a wall 100 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) by use of double-sided adhesive tape or nails, and a first engaging portion 12, 32 projecting outwardly from the base plate 11, 31. The first engaging portion 12, 32 of each of the top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30 is in the form of a longitudinal first protrusion, and includes two spaced-apart first spring plates 121, 321 that extend longitudinally to define a slot 122, 322 therebetween so as to permit biasing movement of the first spring plates 121, 321 toward or away from each other. The first spring plates 121, 321 respectively have oppositely projecting butt ends 123, 323.

Each of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 includes a pair of first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42. The first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42 have opposite inner faces 212, 412, 221, 421, and releasable protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on the inner faces 212, 412, 221, 421. The first clamp plate 21, 41 of each of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 further has a first retaining portion 213, 413 provided on an outer face 211, 411 thereof. The first retaining portion 213, 413 is in the form of a longitudinal first groove, and has a broad inner groove section 214, 414 and a narrow groove opening 216, 416. The butt ends 123 of the first spring plates 121 of the top fixing seats 10 extend fittingly into the broad inner groove section 214 through the narrow groove opening 216. Similarly, the butt ends 323 of the first spring plates 321 of the bottom fixing seats 30 extend fittingly into the broad inner groove section 414 through the narrow groove opening 416.

The protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42 include two spaced-apart parallel longitudinal second grooves 215, 415 formed in the inner face 212, 412 of the first clamp plate 21, 41, and two spaced-apart longitudinal second protrusions 222, 422 that project from the inner face 221, 421 of the second clamp plate 22, 42 and that engage the second grooves 215, 415, respectively. Each of the second grooves 215, 415 has a broad inner groove section 2151, 4151 and a narrow groove opening 2152, 4152. Each of the second protrusions 222, 422 includes two spaced-apart second spring plates 223, 423 that extend longitudinally to define a slot 224, 424 therebetween so as to permit biasing movement of the second spring plates 223, 423 toward or away from each other and that respectively have oppositely projecting butt ends 225, 425. The butt ends 225, 425 of the second spring plates 223, 423 of each second protrusion 222, 422 extend into the broad inner groove section 2151, 4151 of a respective one of the second grooves 215, 415 through the corresponding narrow groove opening 2152, 4152.

The blind unit 50 is made of a flexible material, such as paper, cloth, honeycomb cloth, etc., and has a top end portion 511, a bottom end portion 512, and an intermediate portion 513 between the top and bottom end portions 511, 512. The top end portion 511 is clamped detachably between the inner faces 212, 221 and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 21, 22 of the headrail 20. The bottom end portion 512 is clamped detachably between the inner faces 412, 421 and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 41, 42 of the bottom rail 40. The intermediate portion 513 includes a plurality of folds 5131 each having two spaced-apart through holes 514.

The blind unit 50 includes two elastic cords 52 each having two opposite ends attached respectively to the top and bottom end portions 511, 512 and extending from the top end portion 511 to the bottom end portion 512 via the through holes 514 in the intermediate portion 513. Each of the elastic cords 52 can be made of rubber or other elastic materials.

Each of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 further includes two end caps 60, each of which covers one of two opposite ends of the first clamp plates 21, 41 and one of two opposite ends of the second clamp plates 22, 42.

To use and assemble the window blind assembly of the present invention, the base plates 11, 31 of the top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30 are first fixed to the wall 100 at predetermined locations. The top end portion 511 of the blind unit 50 is then positioned between the first and second clamp plates 21, 22 of the headrail 20, after which the first and second clamp plates 21, 22 are engaged to each other through the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces thereof so as to clamp the top end portion 511 of the blind unit 50 therebetween. Subsequently, the bottom end portion 512 of the blind unit 50 is positioned between the first and second clamp plates 41, 42 of the bottom rail 40, after which the first and second clamp plates 41, 42 are engaged to each other through the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces thereof so as to clamp the bottom end portion 512 of the blind unit 50 therebetween. Two opposite ends of the first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42 are then covered by the end caps 60. Thereafter, the headrail 20 is connected to the top fixing seats 10 through engagement of the first retaining portion 213 and the first engaging portion 12, while the bottom rail 40 is connected to the bottom fixing seats 30 through engagement of the first retaining portion 413 and the first engaging portion 32. At this time, the elastic cords 52 are stretched, and the blind unit 50 is unfolded so as to provide a large shading area.

When the bottom rail 40 is released from the bottom fixing seats 30, the elastic cords 52 contract, and the blind unit 50 is at least partly folded, as shown in FIG. 5, so as to provide a small shading area.

The advantages of the present invention can be summarized as follows:

1. Each of the top and bottom end portions 511, 512 of the blind unit 50 is clamped detachably between the inner faces 212, 412, 221, 421 and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42 of the respective one of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40, so that removal of the blind unit 50 for cleaning is very easy. Further, by engaging the first retaining portions 213, 413 with the first engaging portions 12, 32, the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 can be stably and respectively positioned on the top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30. Hence, assembly and disassembly of the present invention are simple, convenient, and quick.

2. The top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30, the headrail 20, the bottom rail 40, and the end caps 60 have fixed forms, so that production costs can be minimized, and burdensome assembly operations of the present invention can be largely reduced.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A window blind assembly comprising: top and bottom fixing seats adapted to be fixed to a support, each of said top and bottom fixing seats having a base plate, and a first engaging portion projecting outwardly from said base plate; a headrail and a bottom rail each including a pair of first and second clamp plates, said first and second clamp plates having opposite inner faces, and protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on said inner faces, one of said first and second clamp plates further having a first retaining portion to engage said first engaging portion; and a blind unit made of a flexible material and having a top end portion, a bottom end portion, and an intermediate portion between said top and bottom end portions, each of said top and bottom end portions being clamped detachably between said inner faces and between said protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of one of said headrail and said bottom rail.
 2. The window blind assembly of claim 1, wherein said first engaging portion has a longitudinal first protrusion, and said first retaining portion has a longitudinal first groove to receive fittingly said first protrusion.
 3. The window blind assembly of claim 2, wherein said first protrusion includes two spaced-apart first spring plates that extend longitudinally to define a slot therebetween and that respectively have oppositely projecting butt ends, said first groove having a broad inner groove section and a narrow groove opening, said butt ends extending into said broad inner groove section through said narrow groove opening.
 4. The window blind assembly of claim 1, wherein said protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces include two spaced-apart longitudinal second grooves formed on one of said inner faces, and two spaced-apart longitudinal second protrusions that project from the other one of said inner faces and that engage said second grooves, respectively.
 5. The window blind assembly of claim 4, wherein each of said second grooves has a broad inner groove section and a narrow groove opening, each of said second protrusions including two spaced-apart second spring plates that extend longitudinally to define a slot therebetween and that respectively have oppositely projecting butt ends, said butt ends of said second spring plates extending into said broad inner groove section of a respective one of said second grooves through said narrow groove opening of a corresponding one of said second grooves.
 6. The window blind assembly of claim 1, wherein said blind unit includes a plurality of elastic cords each having two opposite ends attached respectively to said top and bottom end portions and extending from said top end portion to said bottom end portion through said intermediate portion.
 7. The window blind assembly of claim 6, wherein said intermediate portion of said blind unit includes a plurality of folds each having a plurality of through holes for extension of said elastic cords therethrough.
 8. The window blind assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said headrail and said bottom rail further includes two end caps, each of which covers one of two opposite ends of said first clamp plate and one of two opposite ends of said second clamp plate. 